Quickest, cheapest, fastest drill stop...

[Ian Bee]

Okay, maybe not anything shop made, or wild, but hey, worked for me.

Had LOTS of holes to drill, as well as countersink afterwards, in a LOT of aluminium angle sections yesterday. Sections were 1240 mm. long, and I wanted reasonably accurate holes at 50 mm. and at 440 mm., in from each end. Easy job, centre the vice, so I can turn them around after doing one end, but I needed a two step stop for repeatability.

Easy! I set my stop at 440 mm., and set the edge of the vice at 50 mm. Found a rare earth magnet, and simply rolled it on the edge of the vice!

Wouldn't work with steel, would get crap all over it, but works well on non-ferrous stuff.

Little magnet in place for first hole...



Little magnet rolled aside for next hole...



Drilling second hole...



Overall set up...

 

[itsme_Bernie]

First of all, great idea! Love it.

Second, now I see why you have two vices! Wow!



Bernie

 

[Ulma Doctor]

The rare earth stops area great idea!
iv'e found a few uses for them, but now i have another, thanks!
mike)

 

[8ntsane]

That is a good idea :thumbzup:
I have lots of those magnets in the shop, and wonder why I never thought of that :biggrin: ?
Must be handy to have dual vise setup for long pieces too. Good tip !